Copper tubing is used to convey liquids and gasses for a multitude of purposes and is available in a wide range of diameters. The construction industry, for example, makes use of tubing having outer diameters of 3/4 inch, 1 inch, 11/2 inch, 2 inch, and other sizes. Since copper has a high degree of flexibility, it has become customary to market long lengths of copper tubing on spools. A technician who wishes to install a piece of copper tubing must first select the spool having tubing of the desired diameter, and then unwind and cut the desired length. The installation process is completed when each of the ends of the tubing are attached to fittings by an appropriate means such as soldering. To attach the fitting, the outer diameter of the tubing may be fitted into a cylindrical bore in the fitting and thereafter the parts are soldered together, or the fitting may provide a tubular nipple around which the inner diameter of the tubing is fitted and, again, soldered.
Although it is common to market and store copper tubing on spools, the wrapping of copper tubing around such spools causes the cross-sectional shape of the tubing to become oval, rather than round. When a length of copper tubing is unwound from the spool and cut to the desired length, the ends of the tubing must be rounded before they can be attached to a fitting having either a cylindrical bore for receiving the outer diameter of the tubing, or a tubular nipple for fitting within the inner diameter of the tubing.
Prior to the present invention, it has been general practice to use a hammer or other tools to manually round the distal end of a length of tubing prior to attachment of a fitting. Such manual operations, however, are time consuming and generally do not result in a true rounding of the end. As a result, the soldering of the end of a length of tubing can be unduly time consuming. It would be desirable to provide a tool which would facilitate the rounding of the end of a length of copper tubing so that it may be attached to a fitting without requiring the technician to manually round the end.